The Bolivarian Youth Games (Spanish: Juegos Bolivarianos de la Juventud) is a regional multi-sport event for athletes of up to 18 years old, organized by the Organización Deportiva Bolivariana (ODEBO). The games are held every four years with the first edition being held in Sucre, Bolivia from 4 to 14 April 2024.
The age range for athletes was originally approved following the same criteria as the International Olympic Committee for the Youth Olympic Games (between 15 and 18 years old). However, the first edition accepted athletes between 16 and 19 years old so as not to disrupt the participation of athletes who had been preparing for 2023 before the inaugural event was rescheduled from 2023 to 2024.
History
ODEBO launched the Bolivarian Youth Games for the first time in 2010 with Lima, Peru to be the host city of the first edition in 2015. In 2017, after several postponements, Peru resigned to host the games giving way to Sucre, Bolivia being named as the new host city on 10 November 2017. Early 2019, the Games were scheduled to be held between 17 April and 1 May 2020, However, the games again went through several postponements due to various circumstances such as the 2019 Bolivian protests or the social and health impact resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
During 2021 and 2022 the postponements continued, until in April 2023 the First Bolivarian Games were finally scheduled to take place between 5 and 14 April 2024.
The Games
Games | Year | Host city | Host nation | Opened by | Start date | End date | Nations | Competitors | Sports | Events | Top placed team |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
I | 2024 | Sucre | Bolivia | President Luis Arce | April 4 | April 14 | 7 | 1,137 | 24 | 234 |
References
- ^ "La Odebo y Sucre realizaron acuerdos para los I Juegos Bolivarianos de la Juventud" [Odebo and Sucre reached agreements for the I Bolivarian Youth Games] (in Spanish). ODEBO. 17 April 2023.
- "Organización Deportiva Bolivariana realizó lanzamiento de Libro" (in Spanish). Prensa Mercosur. 1 February 2016 – via Facebook.
- "OFICIO N° 0166-2010" (PDF) (in Spanish). Congress of the Republic of Peru. 28 October 2010.
- "Lima será sede de primeros Juegos Bolivarianos de Playa" [Lima will host the first Bolivarian Beach Games] (in Spanish). Lima: La Prensa. Associated Press. 9 February 2011.
- "Los tres Juegos Bolivarianos hasta 2015 a cargo de un solo comité organizador" [The three Bolivarian Games until 2015 under a single organizing committee] (in Spanish). Lima: Andina. 24 February 2011.
- "¡ODEBO brilla en las manos de un ecuatoriano!" [ODEBO shines in the hands of an Ecuadorian!] (in Spanish). ODEBO. 19 April 2017. Archived from the original on 30 June 2017.
- "Comité Ejecutivo y Asamblea de la ODEBO se instala en Santa Marta" [ODEBO's Executive Committee and Assembly is installed in Santa Marta] (in Spanish). ODEBO. 10 November 2017. Archived from the original on 13 November 2017.
- "Se deciden sedes para Juegos del Ciclo Bolivariano" [Venues decided for the Bolivarian Cycle Games] (in Spanish). ODEBO. 11 November 2017. Archived from the original on 14 November 2017.
- Rojas Rodríguez, Betty (10 February 2019). "Bolivarianos de la juventud Sucre 2020: Se espera sea un nuevo inicio para el deporte capitalino" [Bolivarians Youth Sucre 2020: A new beginning is expected for the capital city's sport] (in Spanish). Los Tiempos.
- "Presidente de la Odebo visitó la sede de los Juegos de la Juventud" [Odebo's President visited the Youth Games site] (in Spanish). ODEBO. 21 June 2019.
- "Sucre se prepara para los I Juegos Bolivarianos de la Juventud en 2020" [Sucre prepares for the I Bolivarian Youth Games in 2020] (in Spanish). ODEBO. 18 September 2019.
- Rojas Rodríguez, Betty (23 January 2020). "Confirman nueva fecha de Los Juegos Bolivarianos de la Juventud Sucre 2020" [New date for the Sucre 2020 Bolivarian Youth Games confirmed] (in Spanish). Los Tiempos.
- "Comisión de Odebo recibió informe del avance de Sucre 2020" [Odebo Commission received progress report on Sucre 2020] (in Spanish). ODEBO. 4 February 2020.
- "Odebo posterga otra vez los Bolivarianos de la Juventud: del 5 al 18 de diciembre" [Odebo postpones again the Bolivarian Youth Games: from December 5 to December 18] (in Spanish). La Paz: La Razón. 17 April 2020.
- "Los I Juegos Bolivarianos de La Juventud Sucre 2020 serán en diciembre" [The I Bolivarian Youth Games Sucre 2020 will be held in December] (in Spanish). ODEBO. 20 April 2020.
- "Odebo reprogramó los Bolivarianos de la Juventud de Sucre para el 2021" [Odebo rescheduled the Bolivarian Youth Games in Sucre for 2021] (in Spanish). ODEBO. 27 May 2020.
- Rojas Rodríguez, Betty (11 June 2021). "Los Juegos de Sucre serán postergados hasta el 2022" [The Games in Sucre will be postponed until 2022] (in Spanish). Los Tiempos.
- "Los Juegos Bolivarianos de Sucre se disputarán en 2023" [Bolivarian Games in Sucre will be held in 2023] (in Spanish). El Diario. 9 August 2022.
- Gutiérrez, Reynaldo (10 August 2022). "Sucre será la sede de los I Juegos Bolivarianos de la Juventud 2023" [Sucre will host the I Bolivarian Youth Games] (in Spanish). Ahora El Pueblo. Archived from the original on 10 August 2022.